Mamiya C330
Aug 15th, 2008 by jeremy
This is the camera my dad used to take family portraits when we were all younger. Instead of the usual SLR that most people use now, it’s a twin-lens reflex. So one lens is used to take the picture, the other used for the viewfinder. And the viewfinder is really cool. Instead of a tiny viewfinder you’re looking at from the back, you get a huge two inch viewfinder on top with is very clear. It’s totally different, and fun to use.
I was interested in the camera when I was younger, but not interested enough to actually use it. I never took more than snapshots until after Britnie and I were married, and a camera like this just seemed like a pain in the butt. Now I’ve shot two rolls and am going back for more. Hopefully my dad won’t get the film bug back for a few more weeks and I can shoot a bunch. I also haven’t shot film since I bought my first digital camera (a 1.2 megapixel Fuji) right after Sidney was born. The downside is Inkley’s sends out the film to get developed, they only develop 35mm now. There is a plus, now I have a something to look forward to for a few weeks while I wait to see how my shots turned out.
Besides having a dad that will lend me a cool camera, he’s always been able to answer my questions about camera settings, and his amazing shots are an inspiration. He has a natural ability to find great shots that I would never notice. When I’d look in the viewfinder as a kid it all seeemed so simple. My dad was pointing the camera and pushing the button, that’s it. Now I realize how great he was at composing the shot. He has albums full of pictures that I’d have loved to have taken.
Those white marks didn’t come standard on the Mamiya. No, you had to be lucky enough to live in our house, where either one of my siblings or myself started painting it with white shoe polish. Luckily my dad is a lot more patient than I am, and all of us are still alive.
Oh and Mamiya still makes great cameras, as long as you’re willing to pay $10,000.
I was always amazed with Dad’s patience in trying to teach us photography. It looks like the shutter bug passed on to a couple of us kids.
Some people (myself included) like to take digital photographs of the viewfinder on those types of cameras. The shots are referred to as TTV shots, or through the viewfinder.
Here’s some I took using an old Kodak Dualflex II. (Many of those are post-processed in photoshop for the color effects.)
It’s a fun use of an old film camera, because you get the results immediately.
That’s a good idea Susan, I’m going to give a couple of those a shot.
I remember dad letting me try a roll when I took a high school photography class. I didn’t quite get it then. I should probably give it another try, but I seem to remember struggling with the focusing system.
It’s totally different than an SLR (and everything’s mirrored). Very tough for quick shots.